Anguilla News: September 1995

News reports from Anguilla, as they were posted to the Net:

Two Weeks After Hurricane Luis

September 20th

Although Anguilla was hit hard (the center of Hurricane Luis
went past the eastern tip of Anguilla, almost directly over
Scrub Island), the Anguillans have made great progress already
in returning to a normal life:

Thanks to help from the Royal Navy in repairs and
community efforts in cleanup, the
schools reopened this week. Unfortunately, many buildings still need
expensive structural repairs.

Food markets never really closed: now they are restocked with
fresh vegetables and frozen foods again. The items is shortest
supply are batteries and bottled water (1/2 teaspoon of regular
Chlorox in a 5 gallon bucket will chlorinate cistern water).

Ripples Restaurant on Sandy Ground re-opened on Wednesday before
the storm had even finished, providing free soup to the dazed
survivors as they struggled to cleanup the mess.

Shoal Bay Beach is as beautiful as ever, and bigger, up to 75'
wider on the upper end.

The people at Anglec and Cable & Wireless are working
incredibly hard.
Power has been restored to essential businesses in the Valley
(banks, grocery, etc.), as well as telephone service. The
airport appears to be okay, it re-opened shortly after Luis
(we flew in on Sunday, Sep 10, from St Thomas and there
were taxicabs waiting for at the airport).

A lot of Anguillian boats survived the storm because they
were pulled out of the water and trailered inland.

Trees are sprouting new growth. Palm trees survived Luis
relatively well, especially Royal Palms.
Although many were uprooted, the ones that held still
had many fronds. I even saw
a re-planted vegetable garden today with new plants already
6 inches high. Grass was the only living thing that actually
seemed to like the storms: all the bottoms are a bright green.
The Anguilla Beautification Club, headed by Lydia
Shave the Governor's wife, is organizing a work party to save
the new Ficus Benjamina trees along Queen Elizabeth Blvd.

Albert Lake's gas station is still pumping and we are still
receiving gasoline shipments from Shell. The station never
stopped because it has a generator. Today the station in Island
Harbour was open, with a nice new palm-covered sand beach
behind it.

Island TV announced yesterday that it has ordered new satellite
dishes and is rebuilding. Core service should be resumed within
two months and full service within six.
They would appreciate it if you paid your August
bill.

The gym and the tire shop got power today and are open for
business. At least we won't get flabby.

House Okay in Little Harbour

September 26th.
Following up on an e-mail inquiry, I can report that
Karen Greenaway's house on Little Harbour appears to have survived
intact. Karen has reportedly been flooded with inquiries and even offers to help
rebuild if needed. There are other holiday homes less solidly
built than Karen's which were blown to bits, so perhaps they could
use the help instead.

Sombrero Lighthouse

September 28th. We forget that the lighthouse
is part of Anguilla and has four resident lighthouse keepers.
They spent the storm in the tower while Luis washed completely
over the island, taking away all their possessions except what
they were wearing. They were completely alone with no communication
for 48 hours. The storm shook the tower so much that the regular
mirrors fell and broke, so they put up a backup light. Since
the storm the lighthouse keepers have been re-supplied and
are carrying on their duty of warning shipping, under very
difficult circumstances. (Reported on Radio Anguilla)

All Hotels Target Nov15-Dec 1 to Reopen.

September 29th.Five hotels are currently open and the rest plan to
reopen by November 15 or December 1st (according to the Tourism
Minister, who is also the Chief Minister, Hubert Hughes).

Generators Duty-Free For Another Week.

September 29th.You can import generators duty-free through October 9th.
Previously you had to get a special permit (it was not easy
to even find out how to apply) and then pay duty.

Anguilla Is Cooking!

September 29th.This weekend, Sat and Sun Sep 30/31, there is a party
at Shoal Bay with Chicken, Ribs, Fish, Beer, Rum Punch and
Cold Drinks all at reasonable prices. I went by Shoal Bay on
the way to work today and saw that Uncle Ernie's was rebuilt.
Smitty's in Island Harbour is open, across the street from
the beach. Had dinner last night at La Sirena: full menu.
Ken Roger's Old House Restaurant has reopened and Ken is
building a new high-quality restaurant on Upper Shoal Bay (the
foundation survived Luis and the walls and pillers started going
up yesterday). Roy's is open on Crocus Bay.

Village Cleanup by the Community.

September 29th.
Public Works working with volunteers have cleaned up
the debris in many villages. Island Harbour, for example,
had a lot of downed trees and wreckage along the shore, most
of which is now gone, leaving a new wide sand beach
on the harbour front.

Water Supply.

September 29th.
Water department starts repairing the
pipes etc. in Island Harbour and Sandy Ground on Monday, then
other outlying areas. Most the The Valley and immediate
surroundings already have piped water restored.